Part Two

It was a subdued group of world savers that spent the day researching feverishly. Anya was now not only upset and confused but guilty now over her kiss with Spike. Buffy and Angel were both deep in thought over each other. Giles and Wesley were wondering how the Hell to tell Buffy that the chances were that she'd have to kill her own sister. Cordelia and Xander were glaring at each other, hating themselves for getting carried away again. Only Dawn and Spike seemed remotely happy.

"We have to get some supplies for a locating spell. We'll be back soon." Willow told the group.

"Be careful." Giles said. Willow and Tara both nodded before going out.

"Do you think we were right not to tell Buffy?" Willow asked Tara as they walked down Main Street towards the Magic Box.

"I think she has more important things to think about right now." Tara said. Willow nodded. As she pulled out the keys to the Magic Box, she paused.

"What's wrong?" Tara asked.

"There's someone in there."

"But the door's still locked." Tara said. Willow nodded. She unlocked the door and opened it cautiously.

"Hello?"

"Willow!" The voice said, relieved. Willow's mouth set into a hard line.

"Riley." She went inside, so angry she didn't notice Tara not following her.

"What are you doing here?" She asked coldly. "The US army hasn't branched out into shop breaking?" Willow said.

"No. I came to find you all." Riley said defensively.

"That's great. But we don't need you." Willow told him as she picked up what she'd come for. He looked like he'd been slapped.

"Wasn't Tara with you?" He asked. She looked around. Tara wasn't in the shop. She ran out into the street. Tara was lying on the sidewalk.

"Wha... Pretty lights..." Tara mumbled. Willow crouched beside her.

"She's...." Willow looked around anxiously. She saw Glory standing in the near distance watching them. Chanting angrily, Willow's eyes flashed and Glory disappeared.

"What did you do?" Riley asked.

"I teleported her." Willow said coldly. Then, she realised she needed Riley's help with Tara.

"We need to get her inside." Willow said, helping Tara to her feet. Riley took Tara's other arm and went to lead her into the shop.

"No. This way." Willow told him. They walked back up the street towards the mansion.

"They're not back yet." Xander said for the fifth time. "Where are they?"

"Maybe they couldn't find what they were looking for." Cordelia snapped at him.

"Or not. That shop is organised perfectly." Anya retorted. At that moment, the door swung open and Willow came in with Tara and Riley.

"Help us!" Willow said. Everyone rushed over to them.

"What happened?" Giles asked.

"Glory. She's..." Willow said, now becoming slightly hysterical.

"She sucked her brain out." Xander said, understanding.

"Let's get her sat down." Giles said. Only when they had Tara sat comfortably and calm did they notice Riley.

"What is he doing here?" Xander asked angrily.

"He broke into the magic shop. I needed him to help me with Tara." Willow said, herself now calmer.

"What's the situation here?" Riley asked in his puffed-up military voice.

"Nothing to do with you." A new voice said. Buffy had been with Dawn in one of the bedrooms, but had come to see what the fuss was about.

"Buffy." Riley said, more gentle now.

"Get out." She said, her voice quavering slightly.

"I came back to help. We heard reports..."

"I don't care. Get out."

"No. I'm here to help." Riley sat down beside Anya, who shifted away. Buffy sighed.

"Whatever. Keep out of my way." She commanded. Riley looked around.

"You're new." He said to Cordelia.

"No I'm not." She said frostily.

"Cordelia went to school with us." Willow told him. "She lives in LA now. So does Wesley." She said, pointing to the British guy with his nose in a book. Wes looked up for only a second, before going back to his book.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" An amused voice said. Spike had come in and was smirking at Riley.

"Captain Cardboard." Spike said, wondering what would happen when Angel found out Riley was back.

"Hostile 17." Riley said, trying to sound menacing. Spike just laughed. Dawn came in, noticed Riley and then walked straight into another room.

"Thanks Dawn." Angel said as she handed him the bundle.

"That's all I could find."

"I didn't leave much." He smiled.

"I thought I should warn you."

"What?"

"Riley's here."

"Riley?" Angel's voice was filled with both anger and surprise.

"I was surprised too. Buffy didn't look happy about it." Dawn said. She then briefly explained about Tara, before finishing. "I'll leave you to it." She said, blushing slightly.

Riley was making himself comfortable when Angel came in. Everyone held his or her breath in anticipation. What was Angel going to do? Buffy's heart began beating wildly when she saw Angel. He was wearing the leather trousers she hadn't seen him wear since his Angelus days, and a velvet shirt he hadn't yet done up.

"What are you doing here?" Riley demanded, jumping to his feet. Angel growled.

"I was about to ask you the same thing, boy." Buffy almost laughed as she heard Angel emphasise the word 'boy'. Riley approached Angel, who was a great deal calmer than the soldier boy.

"I'm here to help." Riley said, trying to overstate his importance.

"Fine. Three jelly, three cream, three frosted." Angel snickered. Xander looked up, Angel going up in his estimation enormously. Riley didn't entirely understand the joke.

"Whatever," He dismissed the vampire.

"Is she going to be OK?" Angel asked Willow softly, deciding to pretend Riley didn't exist.

"I... I don't know. We're going to look for some way to reverse the spell. But I'd probably have to get close to both of them. It's going to be difficult." She said.

"We'll find something." He reassured her. Willow smiled slightly, only partly believing him. Buffy watched this, part of a plan formulating in her mind. Angel noticed her looking over at them and raised his eyebrows in question.

"Are you OK, Buffy?"

"I think so." She said a little coldly. Riley picked up on the distance between the two and felt a little better. Angel then noticed Riley's gaze resting on Buffy and glared at the boy. Willow stood up.

"I think we should take Tara home for a while. Get her some clean clothes, maybe a rest in her own bed." She said.

"Great idea. I'll come with you."

"What about Dawn?"

"She can stay here." Xander suggested. Buffy shook her head.

"She's coming with me. We'll also stop off at my house." She said.

"Do I have to?"

"No. But I want to be able to keep an eye on you." Buffy said. For once, Dawn didn't disagree, deciding it would be nice to get out of the mansion for a while.

Glory could sense the spell protecting the mansion. She'd had her minions follow Willow, Tara and that dumb looking boy back to it, and now she waited for her chance. They had to come out some time, especially now that the witch was crazy, and when they did, she'd be waiting. But when she saw Buffy, Willow, Tara and the little sister come out together, she thought her luck was too good to be true.

"Hey Slayer." She said in a lighter tone than she really meant. The four girls froze.

"Get away from here." Buffy said.

"Why? It's a free country." Glory said, hoping to extract some kind of information from Buffy.

"Leave us alone."

"You have my Key! I won't leave you alone until I have it! Where is it?" She screamed at Buffy. Then, Tara looked towards Dawn.

"Look at the light... All green and pretty." Glory looked in the direction of Tara's gaze. The girl. It couldn't be! Then, she remembered how Ben told the minion that the Key was an innocent person. It was! Those monks had made a sister for the Slayer. Buffy's horrified look was enough proof. Moving with the speed of a cheetah, Glory grabbed Dawn.

"Buffy!" The girl screamed. Glory just laughed, before running down the driveway. Buffy was in hot pursuit. At the scream, everyone had come to the door of the mansion, and they ran out towards Glory, with the exception of Angel and Spike, who were still, after all, allergic to sunlight.

"Dawn!" They heard Buffy scream. Xander ran down the driveway and found the Slayer collapsed on the sidewalk, pointing towards a car driving away.

"She took Dawn. She took Dawn. She took Dawn." She said over and over.

"Come on Buffy." Xander pulled her up gently, and led her back to the mansion and away from Dawn.

Dawn had been gone an hour and still Buffy hadn't said a word. She stood, staring at the fire in the hearth. Everyone had tried to talk to her, but she waved each and every one of them away. Then Angel tried. If anyone could help her, surely it would be Angel.

"Buffy," He said softly, putting his hand on her shoulder. She glared at him.

"Please Buffy." He said. She looked into his sad, pleading eyes and the dam broke. She sobbed and sobbed and sobbed like her heart was breaking. He wrapped his arms around her and there they stood for what seemed like hours.

Finally, the tears were over and Buffy felt a little better.

"Are you feeling better?" He asked softly.

"I let Glory take her."

"No you didn't. You couldn't have stopped her. Now we just have to stop her doing whatever she wants to do with Dawn."

"I was supposed to protect her! I failed her!" Buffy sobbed.

"No, not yet you haven't." Angel said. "You can still save her. And you will." He reassured her. But she wasn't having any of it.

"How? I've given her to Glory! All she has to do now is complete her ritual and that's it, my sister's dead. Some protector I turned out to be." She said.

"Well then, we stop Glory before she can do her ritual. When we find out what that is, exactly."

"We have it!" Giles cried out from his position next to Wesley, surrounded by books.

"You do?" Buffy asked, hope springing eternal once more.

"Yes! It's a ritual to open the walls between the different dimensions of the universe. She's trying to get home." Giles said.

"The key is used to open the portal," Wesley continued. "And... Oh dear. It's opened when life starts to flow, and only closes again when life ceases to flow."

"Blood. Dawn's blood." Angel realised.

"It's going to kill her?" Riley asked, once more winning the Most Inappropriate Comment award.

"No. No it's not. We're not going to let it happen. When is this all meant to take place?"

"Well, there's only a very small window of opportunity for the ritual to start. All we have to do is hold Glory off until that window is over." Giles said.

"OK. Maybe we can come up with a plan." Buffy said. "A plan which doesn't involve the death of my sister." She said pointedly.

"I don't know that that's a realistic possibility." Giles said.

"What?" Buffy yelled.

"You... I think you may have to kill her." Giles told her. Buffy's eyes were full of fire and rage at this.

"What! Kill my own sister? What do you think I am? She's my SISTER! My life and blood! She's all I've got left in the world! Those monks made her from me and I was meant to protect her, not KILL HER!" She screamed, falling against Angel in exhaustion.

"Buffy, this is about the world. If that portal opens, the walls which separate the dimensions of the universe will open and the world will be overrun with creatures that make vampires and Hell gods seem like cuddly toys." Giles told her, his voice cold.

"I'm not going to listen to you." Buffy said. "There is another way, and I'm going to damn well find it!" She turned on her heel and stalked into the bedroom.

"Dawnie, Dawnie." Glory said in a nauseatingly sweet voice. Dawn glared back.

"My sister's going to kick your ass." She said.

"Maybe. But she's not really your sister, is she? She probably only cared about you because you were my Key. Now, she'll probably just kill you."

"She wouldn't ever do that. She's not evil like you." Dawn shot back.

"You've got spirit, little girl. I like it." Glory smiled at Dawn.

"Yeah? If you like me so much, why don't you let me go?"

"Nice idea, but no." Glory smiled again, before transforming into Ben.

"Buffy," The soft voice was comforting. She was again sat on her bed, but this time instead of defiance, she was full of defeat.

"I can't kill my own sister, Angel." She said. Without hesitation, he sat beside her.

"I know. And you won't. We will find a way around that. We will."

"Nice attempt at blind optimism," She joked weakly.

"Thanks. We're all working on alternative options. None of us want Dawn to die. And so, she won't." Angel smiled at Buffy, who rested her head on Angel's shoulder. And it felt like it belonged there.

"I'm sorry." She said.

"For what?"

"For how I reacted about Darla. I don't pretend to understand the relationship between the two of you, but I know better than you think the loneliness you felt."

"You don't have to be sorry for anything Buffy."

"But I am, just the same."

"Me too." He put his arm around her.

"Angel, promise me... Promise me that you'll look after Dawn."

"Buffy, you're going to look after Dawn."

"But if I..."

"You're not going anywhere, young lady."

"No? Glory has it in for me. She knows I'll try and save Dawn. And if I fail, promise me you'll look after her."

"Buffy..."

"Promise."

"I promise. I promise I'll look after Dawn. And you."

"Yeah? For how long?" She said, remembering the day he left.

"How does forever sound? Does forever sound good to you?" He asked her. She looked up, now remembering the night of her mother's funeral.

"Sounds pretty good." She said, her eyes filling with tears.

"No more crying." Angel commanded softly. "We can't have a dehydrated slayer on our hands." She smiled.

"OK." Then, she kissed him and for a few seconds, all was right with the world.

"Feel better?" He asked.

"A bit." She was visibly brightened, as if one of her loads had been eased. "We should go and help." They stood up.

"Oh and Angel?"

"Yes?"

"Nice pants." She smiled. He looked a little embarrassed, but smiled anyway. Her expression changed to the one he saw on Wesley's face before each 'Eureka!'.

"What?"

"I've just had a great idea." She said, grabbing his hand and pulling him out of the room.

"I'm sorry Dawn. I am. But it's you or me. And I'm on the side of me." Ben explained.

"Then you're scum." She countered.

"Don't talk like that to Glory."

"Why not? Maybe she'll kill me."

"No, she won't. Not yet anyway. But there are worse things than death." He said.

"Yeah. Being stuck with you is pretty high on that list." She said, full of defiance. She knew Buffy was coming for her and nothing would persuade her to think otherwise.

"What do you think?" Buffy asked the assembled group.

"I think it's madness!" Riley said, gaining glares from the rest of the group.

"Are you still here?" Buffy snapped. He shrank back in his seat. Angel couldn't help but snicker. Buffy swatted him on the arm. In her mind, she ran through the list of comparisons. In every way, Angel won out over Riley. He was tall, dark and handsome, charming and intelligent. Riley was an idiot. She saw that now.

"I think it's worth trying. But we need to find where Glory is." Giles said.

"Got that covered. We realised that Glory has some kind of control over the people whose brains she takes. We can get Tara to lead her to wherever Glory is." Buffy said. Willow nodded.

"That's a good idea. But we'll stop her before she gets inside. I don't want her there until I can get them together to get her mind back." Buffy nodded.

"Right. What about you, Angel, what do you think?"

"I think it's a good idea. But I wonder if Dawn will know to play along?"

"She will. If not, she'll think it's all gone bad and be too scared to say anything until you can reassure her." Buffy said.

"We're agreed?" Xander said.

"I think it's a ridiculous idea that will get us all killed." Riley cut in.

"Then LEAVE! Get the HELL OUT! Go on, get out! Stop getting in our way and leave us to it!" Buffy screamed at him. Xander felt like applauding.

"Go and get some vampire whore to drain you or something, anything. Just leave us alone! We've got important things to do!" She continued her tirade. Riley stood, and moved as if to approach her, but Angel grabbed him, opened the front door and threw him out. Then, Xander did applaud.

"It's dark now. I should get going." Angel said.

"Right. Willow, come with us." Buffy said. Willow nodded, and helped Tara stand.

"Tara, baby? Is there somewhere you should be?" She asked gently. Tara nodded, and started walking. She went out of the front door. At a comfortable distance, Angel, Buffy and Willow followed. They walked through town until they arrived at a building site. A huge tower had been built. Before Tara could get any closer, Willow took hold of her.

"This is it." Angel said. He kissed Buffy like he hadn't done for a long time, before heading inside. Then, Buffy, Willow and Tara went back to the mansion as quickly as they could.

"Well, isn't this just the well-oiled machine?" A harsh, mocking voice called out above the din. Glory looked up to see a tall dark man in leather standing there.

"Who the Hell are you?" She demanded. He smirked.

"Don't you know? I'm a monster." He said, approaching her. Glory, satisfied he was of evil origin, allowed him to get closer.

"The name's Angelus." He said.

"Oh! The vampire. Aren't you a good boy now?"

"Not anymore." He said, his eyes cold. She was convinced.

"What are you doing here? Looking for something to eat?"

"No. No, I'm here to help you. See, I hear you're having slayer problems."

"Hardly. She's not exactly a match for me."

"But she's been giving you grief?"

"A bit." Glory admitted.

"Aren't you a little bit worried that the Slayer might wreck your plans for tomorrow night?"

"How do you know about tomorrow night?" She demanded.

"There's not a lot I don't know," He told her. "I'm here to offer my assistance. I'll keep the slayer off your back." He said. "And onto hers." He joked. She smiled.

"OK. Go keep an eye out for her or something." She said, letting herself look at the handsome vampire a little more closely. He smiled fleetingly at Dawn and then left.

"Isn't he the cutest, Dawnie?" She asked the girl tied to a chair.

"The cutest." Dawn said bitterly, thinking that perhaps Angel had actually turned. Then she realised that the smile he'd given her held no malice and had been intended to reassure her. It was all part of Buffy's plan! She felt better, but tried not to show it.

"I like him," Glory said.

"You don't want him." Dawn said, playing along. "He's way evil."

"Really?" Glory was interested.

"Yeah. He tried to send the whole world to Hell once."

"He did?"

"Yeah. Buffy kicked his ass all the way to Hell, just like she's going to do with you."

"Buffy beat him?" The slightest hint of fear could be heard in Glory's voice.

"Yeah. Since he's been back from Hell, he's been out for revenge. I have to say, you're lucky to have such a murderous fiend on your side."

"I am? I am." Glory nodded. "He makes a change to the usual minions, I have to say." She smiled. All was working out just as she planned.

The next day went by slowly, both sides waiting for nightfall, when it would all kick off. Buffy intended to distract Glory before the ceremony, for just long enough. After that, none of it mattered, just so long as Glory didn't get her sister. Tensions were now running high in the mansion.

"Anya?" Xander asked, having finally gotten the girl alone.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry." He said honestly.

"You are?"

"Yes. Completely."

"And Cordelia?"

"Madness. Absolute madness. Please forgive me Anya. I love you." He said. She seemed won over. He pulled out a little box.

"I bought this before any of this, intending to ask you before now." He said, opening the box. A pretty but understated gold diamond ring gleamed in the box.

"We're going to die, aren't we?" She said.

"No."

"But always in the movie, the girl says yes then she dies!"

"This isn't a movie Anya, this is real life."

"Oh."

"I bought this some time ago, but I had to get up the nerve to ask you. I love you so much Anya, I really do. And when we beat Glory..."

"If we beat Glory."

"When we beat Glory, I want to marry you." He said, smiling anxiously. She took the ring and examined it.

"It's not a very big diamond." She commented.

"I know. But I thought you'd like it." He said.

"I do."

"Good, great." He sounded relieved.

"I still haven't forgiven you for your closet antics." She said. "But OK. When we beat Glory, I'll think about marrying you." She told him. He was so happy, he took her into his arms and swung her around. Despite wanting to stay mad at him, she laughed.

"Put me down! You want me to get dizzy?"

"No. Never." He kissed her, she kissed back and in her heart Anya forgave Xander. They had bigger things to worry about now.

Angel had spent the daytime holed up out of the sun on the site. He had tried to persuade Glory to let him guard Dawn, hoping he'd be able to smuggle her out, but Glory stayed by Dawn's side constantly. The couture queen had changed into what Angel recognised as pre-Byzantine ceremonial robes, and had forced Dawn into something similar. Clearly, Glory was the kind to go by the book.

Buffy and the gang were armed and dangerous. They readied themselves for the coming battle, and as they were about to leave, a van pulled into the mansion grounds. A small guy got out.

"Oz!" Xander exclaimed.

"What's up?" He asked.

"No time to explain now. Xander, tell him on the way." Buffy said, handing Oz a nasty looking axe.

"You want me to drive you?"

"That would be cool." Buffy said, and they piled into Oz's van, arriving outside Glory's site before they'd scheduled. They filled Oz in as to the details of the plan, and realised he could have a big effect. All he had to do was let a little wolf out... Then, it was time. They spilled out of the van and headed to their places. Willow followed Tara into the site. Glory noticed the girl come in.

"Hey! What are you doing here?" She demanded, forgetting that Tara was crazy. At the moment, anyway.

"She's with me." Willow spat, more venomous than she'd ever been before. Chanting, she grabbed Glory by the head and did the same with Tara. Then, they each flew back in different directions.

Buffy came in.

"Slayer girl! You came!" Glory said.

"Hello Glory." She said, throwing the Dagon Sphere at Glory. It seemed to have a real effect on the Hell god until she stomped on it. Then Buffy approached and for a minute, they fought viciously. Then, Glory knocked off Buffy's head. Sparks flew and Glory's eyes went wide.

"The Slayer's a robot? Hey, did anyone else know that the Slayer's a robot?" She asked of no one in particular. She was hit hard around the head and saw Buffy standing there.

"You're really not the smartest God in the heavens, are you?" She asked, holding the Troll God's hammer. Glory got up and they continued to fight.

Willow went over to Tara, lying on a pile of bricks.

"Tara? Tara? Are you all right?" Tara's eyes opened.

"Willow!" She said, a smile spreading across her face. Willow looked relieved and kissed Tara.

"Tara! You're back!"

"Yeah." Was all the exhausted Tara could say. Willow helped her up and to a place of safety. At least, safe compared to the battleground that had opened up. They watched as Giles, Wesley, Cordelia, Gunn, Xander and Anya battled the many minions of Glory. They were blocking the way up some stairs. Where did they lead? Willow followed them, and found herself looking at the top of the tower. She could make out a figure standing there. It could only be Dawn.

"Spike." She said in her mind to the vampire across the way.

"Yeah?" He sounded confused.

"Get up there."

"How?"

"Just do it." She said. He got up and ran. Willow chanted, and everyone flew out of the way, clearing Spike's path to the steps. He ran up two by two, hoping to get to Dawn quickly.

Buffy and Glory were now fighting their own way up the tower, but were so equally matched that their fight was a stalemate, neither conceding any ground. Brutally they fought. Buffy noticed Spike slip past her up the steps, but she didn't notice his shadow.

"Dawn!"

"Spike!"

"Just a sec, I'll have you out of there in no time." He went to approach her, but noticed Dawn look past him. He turned. There stood Doc.

"Doc? What are you doing here? You're dead!" He remembered getting the books off the strange creature.

"Some of us see Glory as a deity not as a clotheshorse." Doc said. Spike's eyes widened in horror as he realised. Doc pulled out a knife. Spike ran at him, intending to get the knife, but it went into his side. In pain and off balance, Spike went to run as Doc again, but Doc took advantage and pushed Spike. He fell, right the way down to the concrete floor below.

Angel had been fighting minions when he saw Spike fall, and he saw the man up there with Dawn. Punching a minion one last time, he ran up the stairs. Buffy and Glory were over half way up by now.

"Angelus! Help me!" Glory demanded. Angel smirked.

"Sorry. Can't do that."

"What? You're on her side?"

"Absolutely." He smiled at the Hell god, before helping Buffy to unbalance the god enough to get her prone on the ground. Then, Glory morphed into Ben. Buffy could never kill a human, and Angel knew that. So, Buffy went up the tower, while Angel was left with Ben.

"Help me?" Ben asked. Angel shook his head.

"People like Buffy can't kill humans. That's why she's a hero. Now, me, on the other hand, I don't mind killing humans like you." He grabbed Ben's throat and held on tight until the young man had suffocated. Then, realising that part of the challenge was over, he ran up to Buffy.

But, even Buffy was too late. Doc had started the bleeding.

"Shallow cuts... Shallow cuts..." He murmured to himself. She approached.

"Buffy!" Dawn whimpered as the silver blade sliced across her stomach. Buffy grabbed Doc and they fought. Doc, for all his cutting finesse, was no match for Buffy, and quickly found himself following Spike's trajectory down the side of the tower. The exhausted Slayer ran to her sister and began trying to undo the knots that kept Dawn tied there. Angel had now arrived and started to help her. It took them some time, and just as they pulled her away, the first drops of blood fell, opening the portal. They exchanged looks of horror.

"No!" Buffy exclaimed. It couldn't be happening, not after what they did.

"Let me go!" Dawn tried to wriggle from her sister's grip.

"No! You can't." Buffy told her.

"But I have to! I have to save the world this time. You got to do it last time!" She said. Buffy smiled at her sister's joke.

"No. Dawn..." She whispered.

Angel stood there, watching them.

"Those monks made her from me!" Buffy shouted. He saw it in his mind. Then, he saw something else he'd been present at.

The fire in the mansion burned heartily. Angel staggered out of his bedroom towards the centre of the room, followed closely by Buffy.

This wasn't right. Why was Angel seeing it from the view of a spectator?

Buffy hit him. He didn't give in. She hit him again. Then again. Finally, the demon was up. She pulled his head towards her shoulder and pressed his lips against her skin. The man inside Angel was powerless, and the demon's fangs ripped into Buffy's skin. He was hungry and sick and then the blood began to flow down his throat.

Angel watched as Buffy persuaded himself two years ago to drink. He watched as they fell to the floor. He understood! Buffy's blood was his blood, he knew that. Buffy's blood was Dawn's blood. It was how he imagined Cordelia's visions to be, and he found clarity within the chaos around him. He noticed Buffy looking at him strangely. His eyes shone as he took her into his arms and kissed her, full of the passion he had always felt for his Buffy. As he broke away, her eyes filled with understanding.

"Don't, Angel! Don't you dare leave me again!" She screamed, still holding onto Dawn tight. He smiled at her. He kissed Dawn on the forehead.

"Look after her Dawn." He said. She nodded numbly, for she too knew what he was going to do.

"I love you Buffy. It was always you, Buffy." He kissed her one final time, before running towards the portal. His destiny. He felt the platform end, and he threw himself towards the white light of the portal.

"ANGEL!" He heard Buffy's anguished scream. Then all went white.

Part Three

Buffy screamed his name, hoping he could hear her. Dawn stood with her, staring after him. Then, as they saw the portal close they ran down the tower. Everyone had gathered there. Spike looked truly close to tears as he looked upon the broken, bloodied body of his grandsire. Giles looked stunned, as if he'd never truly expected a creature like Angelus to make such a sacrifice. In that moment, Giles forgave Angel for everything. Even Jenny. Xander looked both stunned and impressed, and he too finally forgave Angel for taking Buffy away from him. The sound of sobbing cut through the night. Willow and Tara stood hunched together, tears streaming down the face of the redhead, who had always understood the difference between Angel and Angelus as well as Buffy. Wesley stood, trying to keep his upper lip stiff, but he couldn't do it. He collapsed onto the floor and put his head in his hands. Gunn sat beside him, trying to comfort both the Englishman and himself. Cordelia sank to her knees beside Angel and sobbed. She sobbed for the man she loved in her own way. He had been her protector and her brother and she loved him. Then, there was Buffy.

For the longest moment, her face was stony. She stood, impassive, looking upon his body. Beside her, tears were streaming down Dawn's cheeks. Then, the most excruciating sound shattered what was now a peaceful night. Buffy's lungs filled with air and she wailed. She howled a scream known previously only to Westley from The Princess Bride , or Michael in The Godfather Part Three . It was a primal sound of pure and ultimate suffering. Then, when there was no more scream to be heard, she collapsed against Dawn weeping.

Angel had expected all to go black. Surely that was customary. That's how it had been when he went to Hell, and he'd certainly expected to end up there. Instead, as his eyes adjusted to the light, he found himself standing beside gates. Pearly gates, to be exact. Surely the cliché wasn't true? But no, a man in a white robe was standing there behind a lectern, upon which rested a hefty looking book.

"You're here, Liam." The man said, coming from behind his lectern to approach Angel.

"St. Peter?"

"Absolutely." He smiled. "Good to see you Liam. And I mean that."

"What am I doing here?"

"Well, you're dead."

"I know that. Why am I here?"

"What, instead of Hell? Because if you want, I can arrange..."

"No, I just... I don't know." Angel said, expecting to be tired. Instead, he felt oddly awake.

"Well, you're not as bad as you like to make out, are you Angel? Besides, we've been keeping a close eye on you. You've been a very good boy recently."

"Yeah. Do you think Santa will leave lots of presents?" He snapped. "Sorry. I didn't..."

"No, no. You're quite right. I was patronising. St. Paul's always telling me off about it. Well, we've been reviewing your situation. We're not sure you belong here."

"I could have told you that." Angel muttered. "So why didn't you just send me straight to Hell?"

"I didn't say you belonged there either. Or Purgatory. You see, The Almighty doesn't think you should be here yet. It's not your time."

"Not my time? I'm 248 years old, how much time do I get?"

"That's just it, we're not sure. God's working on it right now. Why don't you make yourself comfortable while you wait?"

"OK," Angel was a little confused now as he allowed St. Peter to lead him through the gates of Heaven. It was the most beautiful place he'd ever seen, but that didn't surprise him. There were people, or rather, souls there, lounging around a swimming pool.

"Make yourself comfortable. I'll come and get you when God's made his decision." Peter smiled at Angel, then he disappeared.

Angel sat watching the contented, happy people there and he felt not only comfortable but also comforted. Father Fitzgerald had been right all those years ago in Galway. There was a Heaven and there was a God. He wondered if Father Fitz would have agreed about the pool and the adjoining bar... But then, he realised it didn't matter. This was Heaven, after all.

"Angel? God's ready for you now." St. Peter had appeared again, and Angel now followed him up some stairs. Sitting in a huge chair behind a big white desk was God himself, the Almighty.

"Hello Angel," He said, smiling benevolently. Angel opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again. What do you say to God, honestly?

"Young man, do you not have anything to say to your creator?" A stern Irish voice asked. Angel turned. Standing there, beside someone Angel instinctively knew as the Archangel Gabriel, was his father.

"Father?" He whispered hollowly.

"That's right." The old man looked stern, but then smiled. "My son is finally here."

"Yes." God said. "That's part of the problem. You shouldn't be here. Angel my boy, what did you do that for?" Angel looked confused. What had he done?

"What do you mean, Father?" He asked God, knowing to address God as such. He was The Father, after all.

"I mean, why did you throw yourself into that portal?"

"To save the world." Angel said. God laughed. It was a hearty, full laugh, full of love and enough to make anyone smile.

"Yes, I expect so."

"Didn't you send that vision?"

"Vision?" God was confused.

"I saw myself drinking Buffy's blood." He said softly.

"That was no vision, my son. That was your mind. And you were right to do it. But it does rather mess up my plans. Had you forgotten your shanshu?" God asked him.

"I had, Father." He said. "I was under the impression it would never come."

"Kids today, so impatient." God said, rolling his eyes in amusement. "Well, we'll have to see about that."

"What?" Angel said.

"You go back. Enjoy your life as a human, Angel."

"No!" Angel said. The assembled saints and angels looked shocked. Nobody had talked back to God since... Since John Lennon arrived and asked to start a band instead of joining the choir. That had worked out actually, since Jimi and Keith Moon and a whole bunch of others joined him. But still, that had been a tense moment. Just like it was now.

"What do you mean?"

"I can't be human. Buffy needs my help. People need my help. I'm no use to anyone as a human."

"That's true. Well... How about a very strong human? I know you well enough to know you'll carry on fighting regardless." God said. "Is that good enough?" He smiled that beautiful, benevolent smile again and tears formed in Angel's eyes.

"That would be the greatest gift you could give, Father." Angel told him. "Thank you." He approached God and kissed his hand. God smiled down on him.

"You're a good man Angel. You always were. And no matter what you thought, I never abandoned you, my son. Take this with you." God motioned to Gabriel, who handed Angel a beautiful gold cross. Angel hung it around his neck.

"Thank you, Father." He said again.

"You can go home now. I'll see you again. Not for a while, OK?" God said. Angel nodded, the tears flowing freely and unchecked down his cheeks. Then, as he followed Peter, he stopped beside his own father.

"I'll try and make you proud this time." Angel told him. To his surprise, a tear slipped down his father's cheek and the man smiled.

"I always was, son." He said. To Angel's further surprise, the man who on Earth had been loathe to show anyone affection of any kind, kissed his son on the cheek. Finally, over two hundred years late, peace between the two was made. St. Peter then led Angel back out through the gates.

"See you again. Not for a while." Peter repeated God's words. Angel nodded, a smile on his face.

Cordelia, kneeling beside Angel, was the first to notice. Then, Angel coughed. Everyone looked towards him. Gone were the cuts and bruises. His clothes were no longer torn. He seemed almost to be glowing. He opened his eyes. He was back! He could feel his heart inside his chest pounding away. He looked around for Buffy. She was standing there, looking towards him with hope and disbelief in her eyes.

"Angel?" She asked. He nodded and she ran to him. She placed her hand over his now-beating heart. She felt the warmth of his skin and she smiled, beautiful and grateful. He laughed.

"You won't believe where I've just been." He said.

"I don't care. You're back." She kissed him, and pulled him close, as if trying to believe he really was there.

"You're human." Anya said. "Join the club."

"Thanks. It's nice."

"Angel." Buffy began to cry again, this time with joy. "Angel. You're really real."

"I'm really real." He said in affirmation. She pulled away to look at him. Then, she asked.

"Where did you get that?" She pointed to the gleaming gold cross around his neck.

"I got it... I got it from Father." He said in his old cryptic way.

"And you're here to stay?"

"Yes."

"Forever?"

"Well, a while, at least." Angel said. She laughed again with pure joy and kissed her human Angel again. And for once, they got to live happily ever after.

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